Peter Matthew BauerIcehouse
Bassist Peter Matthew Bauer's Liberation! is the latest and most surprising solo album to emerge from the Walkmen's camp in the wake of the band's "extreme hiatus." Although quiet in the group, Bauer finds his voice -- an interesting Tom Petty-like drawl -- and his songwriting muse on Liberation! by mulling over the nature of religious belief and free will. Despite some intriguing song titles ("Scientology Airplane Conversations," "Shaved Heads & Ponytails") and his personal experience ("I Was Born in an Ashram"), Bauer's ambitious and admirable attempt to apparently skewer religion in any organized form is confounded by fuzzy expression and lyrics muddled by the mix. Only the finale, "You Are the Chapel," is clear in suggesting the true source of wonder. The music is a more consistent extension of the Walkmen's indie rock, ranging from the scuzzy, guitar-driven anthem "Latin American Ficciones" to the echoey blue-eyed soul of "Shiva the Destroyer," ringing folk-rock of "Philadelphia Raga," and the title track's soca-like effervescence. -Rick Mason
$14, 9:30 PM

Sharon Van Etten with Jana HunterFirst AvenueBrooklyn-based folksy songstress Sharon Van Etten's repertoire has expanded naturally. "People say I'm a one-hit wonder," she sings on her new album's closer, "Every Time the Sun Comes Up." Then a twist: "But what happens when I have two?" The joke, of course, is that it's not clear which song of hers she's talking about. It's arguable that 2012's "Serpents," an indie get-together featuring members of the National and Wye Oak, is her most successful track to date, but it wasn't exactly "Little Lion Man." From her lo-fi beginnings to Are We There, that latest effort, Van Etten has favored patience-rewarding tempos and stripped, balanced arrangements. Nowadays, the combination is especially devastating, offering a more forgiving canvas for her lovelorn meditation. -Michael Madden
18+, $17/$20, 8 PM

Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80The Cedar Cultural CenterAt the tender age of 14, Seun Kuti became the lead singer of the Afrobeat group Egypt 80, carrying the legacy of his father Fela Kuti by choosing music over a career in African football. Seun was inducted after expressing an interest in singing to Fela, who allowed him to open their performances on lead vocals. After his father's death, Seun continued to follow his social and political ethos. Fela's Egypt 80 sets typically consist of both new material and originals from Fela's era. They are touring in support of their 2014 release, A Long Way to the Beginning, co-produced by R&B musician and jazz pianist Robert Glasper. The new songs are packed with driving beats, heavy funk, and joyous moments of dance-inducing frenzy, craftily interweaving the concept of party and social conscious, cementing Seun's reputation. -Sarah Stanley-Ayre
30/$35, 7 PM

Sun Kil Moon with Actual WolfThe Varsity TheaterMark Kozelek, now best known as the man behind Sun Kil Moon after more than a decade in Red House Painters, has written glacial-but-entrancing singer-songwriter for the past quarter century. In the run-up to February's Benji, Kozelek's sixth album as the mastermind of SKM, he already had a more-patient-than-most audience prepared for the challenge of an album so lyrical that Pitchfork assembled a goddamn glossary, spanning Kozelek's rock fandom and formative sexual encounters. The especially talky album was still a gamble for Kozelek. The eighth song on the 62-minute record is called "I Watched the Film the Song Remains the Same," it tops 10 minutes in length, and (surprise!) it's about the inventive Zeppelin concert film. At least at the start. Kozelek, born in Ohio and now 47, recollects Jimmy Page's guitars and John Bonham's drums, setting up the intoxication he felt upon his own first record contract in '92. He's no longer riding that wave, but he's equally wizened all over Benji. -Michael Madden
18+, $22/$30, 7 PM

Alderman TolliverIcehouseJonathan Tolliver is the unrivaled vocalist frontman for local soul/garage group Black Diet. This Wednesday at Icehouse, Tolliver will debut his new solo project under the name Alderman Tolliver, an intersection of hip-hop, jazz, gospel, and digital sound via Chilean producer Lister Rossel, in celebration of their new Quarter Tone EP. Quarter Tone juxtaposes a relaxed, minimal soundscape with Tolliver's politically charged lyrical frustration. Years spent training as a jazz vocalist have found Tolliver with a practiced sense of control, yet he manages to inject each verse with a laissez-faire spilling of notes in a style unique only to him. The project is a distinct departure from Black Diet, allowing Tolliver to take the reins entirely yet providing enough familiarity to please fans of his previous work. -Sarah Stanley-Ayre
$7, 9:30 PM

10 dollar Touch The Sun Concert at the Amsterdam Bar and Music Hall to benefit Saint Paul Central students on Saturday the 19th. The lineup is sick all of the proceeds go to the DSSF Scholarship Foundation. The lineup is

Hennepin County

Millionaires Club

Jordan Looney

Ashley Dubose

Heiruspecs

It starts at 9 come enjoy some great local musicians support a great cause.